Come and join the Climate Camp in the Rhenish lignite mining region, taking place this year for the 9th time. This year’s Climate Camp will take place from 11th to 22nd of August in the Rhineland. During this time you will be able to take part in a diverse programme of educational and cultural events as well as demonstrations and other movements. Germany is often praised by other countries around the world as being a leading example when it comes to energy consumption. It pretends to be climate and environmental friendly, yet at the same time, the three major German lignite districts are the largest CO2 source in Europe. Meaning, instead of being a role model for stopping climate change, Germany’s economy is one of the major causes for the destruction of nature. The climate protection goals for 2020, the reduction of Germanys CO2 emissions will fail. Prosperity implies growth, as the saying goes. However, this way of thinking has contributed to the overload of our planet. The ecological crisis is a result of limitless economic growth. But there are social movements that try to stop climate change and try out alternatives for a sustainable future! The Climate Camp is a self-organized and non-commercial camp for people who are interested in ecological (as well as economical and social) sustainability, saving the planet and protecting nature. The Camp tries to be a networking platform for eco activists and gives the possibility for educational work such as workshops, presentations and lectures. At the same time the Climate Camp is a place for trying out alternatives for a more sustainable living and a better future in general (e.g. compost toilets, vegan kitchen, decision making based on consensus) and a place for starting political actions against the exploitation of nature, for example demonstrations and civil disobedience. There are climate camps in many countries around the world, mostly near places where climate change and environmental destruction is happening (airports, coal mines, …). The history of the climate camps in Europe started in Great Britain, where the first climate camp took place. Based on the four columns originating in the British climate camps it came to Germany in 2010. The columns are: alternative living, networking, education and action. The Climate Camp in the Rhineland will take place for the ninth time already. This year, the organizing team wants to have a focus on reflecting the organizational structures and strategies in the climate justice movement. The peaceful fight for climate justice includes addressing problems which are connected to social problems like racism, sexism and decolonization. Another focus lies on the involvement of locals, meaning to integrate the people living directly next to the mine and suffering the most. Apart from that, the Climate Camp will be used as a meeting space for discussing strategies for the international climate justice action network (CJA) and Ende Gelände, a German campaign for actions of massive civil disobedience against climate destruction. At the beginning of your work and study camp you will spend three days in cologne just with the workcamp group to have time to get to know each other and gather background information about the topic and movement. After that the group moves to the camp area and start setting up the Climate Camp, building compost toilets, solar-powered showers and the camp infrastructure in general with other people. This work will require a high level of self-organization and teamwork. The Climate Camp will take place in the immediate vicinity of a lignite mine. You will meet people, who have lost everything due to the mine, but you will also get to know exciting projects, in which people organize their own self-supply of vegetables and electricity. During the camp you will have the opportunity to try a more sustainable lifestyle, by eating a vegan diet, for example. Information about the Climate Camp in the Rhineland can be found here: www.klimacamp-im-rheinland.de (In English: http://www.klimacamp-im-rheinland.de/en/

You will be staying in tents, on thermal mats and in sleeping bags. So you should take in consideration that we will all live outside and share the tents we have for our group (2-4 people per tent). Please bring your own camping mat and sleeping bag. The camp will be catered by the VEGAN kitchen of the Climate Camp. You will take turns to help out in the kitchen. The compost toilets, sinks and outdoor showers will be built up by the group.

The camp offers the possibility to participate in the diverse educational programme of environmental topics and a 'better life', in protests and in the cultural programme. You can also join the workshops, lectures and events in the climate camp. Besides this, you could also go on trips to the nearby towns of Cologne, Mönchengladbach and Düsseldorf.

You should be interested in protecting the environment and stopping climate change. Basic living standards (such as warm water or wifi) will not always be available, with so many people camping. We will live in tents and build up our own eco-friendly 50€ extra-fee. Only for participants who don´t need a visa for Germany.

You should be interested in protecting the environment and stopping climate change. Basic living standards (such as warm water or wifi) will not always be available, with so many people camping. We will live in tents and build up our own eco-friendly 50€ extra-fee. Only for participants who don´t need a visa for Germany.